Facial surgery for bash victim

A YOUNG man bashed in a savage, unprovoked, attack at Ballina will go into hospital next week for major surgery on his face.

The man's father, who asked neither he nor his son be identified, said the attack had left his son nervous about leaving his house.

"As a result of this unprovoked cowardly attack, he has two fractures to his cheekbone which has left it depressed, with subsequent nerve and muscle damage to his face," the man's father said. "He is due to undergo extensive surgery next week. He is still very battered, bruised and swollen and that is just the physical side of his injuries.

"Psychologically, our son has been severely traumatised and despite being aged 27 years, he is now reluctant to leave the home and when he does, he does so with considerable trepidation.

The man was attacked at Bentinck St about 10.30pm last Thursday night by two men wielding skateboards as clubs.

It had been understood the attackers had come up behind the man and laid into him without warning, but the man's father said they had asked him for a cigarette first.

The pair repeatedly bashed the man before leaving without taking anything.

The man's father said he had spent 23 years working as a police officer in a unit fighting street crime in Canberra and in that time had never seen an attack like this.

"When I was a copper there was nothing like this," he said. "There would always be a reason for it; they'd be fighting over a girl or fighting for something.

"This is just completely unprovoked and random."

Doubts emerged yesterday over a similar attack involving another, Rob Moon, who claimed to have been attacked as he rode over Missingham Bridge at Ballina on Tuesday afternoon.

Police said yesterday a witness had come forward reporting having seen Mr Moon fall of his bike on the bridge.

Mr Moon, who suffered a concussion in the incident, had conceded his memory of the incident was poor. However, he also noted that despite other extensive injuries his hands, which would normally have been grazed in a fall from a bike, were undamaged, suggesting he was unconscious when he fell.

Anyone with information on either incident should call Ballina Police on 6681 8699 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.